When Willie Morris wrote about Philadelphia High School running back Marcus Dupree’s senior year of high school, a friendship was struck between the author and athlete.

Thursday evening, Dupree was on hand at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Center, where he was recognized on behalf of Morris after Morris was selected as one of five new members to the Max’s Hall of Fame. Morris, author of “The Courting of Marcus Dupree,” helped immortalize the former Oklahoma Sooner and Los Angeles Ram, and Dupree was only too happy to stand in for Morris, who died in 1999. 

“He’s a person that a lot of people miss, just like I do,” Dupree said. “He was not only a great writer but a great person and family man, and he’s set my name in this world to eternity.”

Morris will be formally inducted into the Max’s Hall of Fame Aug. 25, and Dupree said he shared a special relationship with the author, even though he didn’t fully appreciate back when he was a senior in high school and Morris was following his career.

“At that point in time, so much was going on,” Dupree said. “Now that I think about it, it was a very special time, not only for me, but for the city of Philadelphia.”

It was Dupree’s first visit to the Max, and he said he was impressed with the work Marty Gamblin, director of the hall of fame, has done highlighting Mississippi’s famous artists and entertainers.

“I’ve known Marty since I was in Cub Scouts, and he’s done a great job and knows what he’s doing,” Dupree said. 

Though he no longer lives in Philadelphia, Dupree said he enjoys visiting his east Mississippi roots whenever he can.

“I have grandkids here and family still in Philadelphia,” Dupree said. “I keep up with East Mississippi football, so it means a lot (to come back). This is home.”